Date of Award

2011

Publication Type

Master Thesis

Degree Name

M.A.Sc.

Department

Biological Sciences

Keywords

Molecular biology.

Supervisor

Swan, Andrew (Biological Sciences)

Rights

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Abstract

Cyclin Dependent Kinase 1 (CDK1) is a key mitotic regulator that associates with Cyclin proteins to form active Cyclin-CDK1 complexes. The mitotic roles of Cyclin-CDK1 complexes are well understood, but the regulation and function of the meiotic Cyclin-CDK1 complexes remain largely unsolved. This research project explored the roles of Cyclin A-CDK1 and Cyclin B-CDK1 in Drosophila female meiosis. This study found that constitutive activation of Cyclin A-CDK1 causes defects such as chromosome missegregation (meiosis I and II) and abnormal spindle assembly (meiosis II), implying that Cyclin A must be degraded before anaphase I and II. This study also found that Cyclin B-CDK1 is required for maintenance of the metaphase I arrest, proper chromosome segregation (meiosis I and II), proper spindle assembly (meiosis II), repression of DNA replication, and completion of meiosis. The findings of this study also suggest that Cyclin B -CDK1 may promote Cyclin A degradation during meiosis.

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